


The Show Must Go On

by rhodrymavelyne



Category: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-29 18:18:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16269740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhodrymavelyne/pseuds/rhodrymavelyne
Summary: The aftermath where Mr. Dark manages to pick himself up again, taking a moment to lament the loss of Jim...and deal with Mr. Cooger's irritation at being nearly replaced.





	The Show Must Go On

**Author's Note:**

> I own neither the book nor the movie. They simply remains among my absolute favorites, both the book and the movie since I was a child, creeping into my imagination and inspiring other stories as well.

Whisper of pain. Gasps from the writhing creatures upon his own flesh brought Mr. Dark back to himself. 

“Fortunate for you we managed to pass through a mass murder.” Mr. Cooger folded his arms, towering over his partner, as big as he’d ever been. “Otherwise you might not have been able to come back.”

“Damn that old man.” Mr. Dark moistened dry lips. “Damn him for stealing my prey.”

“You mean those boys?” Mr. Cooger scowled, not that it was unusual for him. His frowns were one of his more charming qualities. “You were ready to let Jim Nightshade take my place. You even offered to put his name first in the billing.”

“This was to flatter him, making adulthood all the more alluring.” Mr. Dark raised his chin with some effort. “Besides it’s true. Nightshade is a good, proper name for a carnival. One might even say auspicious.”

“One might even say dangerous. Not that it matters. You’ve lost him. The Halloway boy as well. We only just escaped on the wind.” Mr. Cooger looked away. “What now? The usual?”

“What else? The show must go on.” Mr. Dark forced himself to get to his feet, frail limbs shaking. “There’s always someone looking for a quick and easy answer to their wishes.” Oh, he felt so wobbly and weak, but he would get stronger. Once he’d supped a little more of the ever plentiful misery of the world. “We’ll return to Greentown some day. We may have lost Jim and Will, but there will be others.”

“There are always others.” Mr. Cooger raised an eyebow. “You’d think humans would learn to watch out for us.”

“Sometimes the ones that do feed us more than anyone else. Like Halloway’s father.” Mr. Dark smiled at his partner. “In the end, we won’t go hungry.”

“We never do.” Mr. Cooger nodded, one of his dark eyes glistening with a wary light as he fixed it upon his partner.

It was only too easy for a partner to become prey. Especially among their kind. Mr. Dark would have to watch out for Mr. Cooger, just as Mr. Cooger had to watch out for Mr. Dark.

It truly was a pity Jim Nightshade had slipped through his fingers. Yes, he had been prey, but Mr. Dark had been serious about making him his new partner. Together, they could have taken down Mr. Cooger. 

They could have had great times. Ah, such a waste to lose Jim to the teeming masses of humanity. 

In the meantime, the show had to go on.


End file.
